Nike's Quirkiest Ballet Sneaker Is Wildly Adorable Now
Nike's new Air Rift is like no other we've seen before. The latest pair has gone completely wild, but for good reason.
We've seen the Air Rift get adventurous with its designs before. But the newest pairs arrives with fully fluffed-out fur uppers, joined by crisp leather moments in between.
Don't worry. The tabi-toes are still there, it's just partially hidden beneath the Yeti-style outfit.
It certainly does give off Abominable Snowman energy, if the creature were a cutie-patootie. But Nike already has an adorable Dunk for that.
But Nike's Air Rift is actually furry for a reason. The sneaker is part of a collection honoring Japan's Culture Day, which falls on November 3 and celebrates the country's, well, culture.
The collection also includes an LD-1000, one of Nike's oldest sneaker. It received a similarly cutesy spin, featuring its own kind of "Labubu" charm, all seemingly referencing Japan's Harajuku scene.
The Air Rifts seem to lean in that direction as well. In addition to fur, the Mary Jane-style model comes with a star buckle, which replaces its usual hook-and-loop closure.
Although a gleaming Swoosh buckle would've been a nice touch, there are plenty of other Nike logos elsewhere, some hidden between the fluff and others clear as day on the graphic collage insoles speaking to Japan's distinctive style.
With the holiday less than a month away, fans can expect the Air Rift "Culture Day" to land sometime in October in Asia.
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